Gravel Bike Thread

I have one, too.

EDIT: although it would appear the forum gods do not want me to post a picture of it.

That does look like a long way down from the saddle to the drops.

Posted by: tashi

Just remember, if you're thinking up weird combos of mountain bikes and drop bars, PAY ATTENTION TO BAR HEIGHT.

As cool a project this bike was, it rides waaaaaay better with a flat bar, even for the Ontario CX racing that this setup was used on.  Reach was good, bar height was terrible:

I think the issue is a non-suspension corrected fork. Your axle to crown is way too low. It also makes for a way steeper HTA, which makes steering weird I am sure. Nice Macgyver though. Bar end shifting in a Cx race must have been an added level of difficulty.

Ah, I've messed around with an old favourite pre-suspension frame. It's really hard to get a good balance, as soon as I fitted a suspension fork (or suspension corrected rigid) the BB got crazy high.

Shortest fork I could find + highest rise bar was the best compromise I could find.

I built up an older Surly Karate Monkey with drop bars a few years back, monster cross/gravel style. It was a super fun bike and pretty capable but ultimately it beat me up too much even on mellower trails and we don't have the gravel network here to justify it. I do miss it, it was a nice and fast option for quick solo loops but my hardtail works out better for me.

Just ordered a set of the PNW bars, a friend of mine is running them and has been very impressed. Not overly expensive either at $85CAD/ $69USD

I swapped to a flared drop (Spank - 25 degree flare) and I like it a lot, especially on any type of descent.  That PNW looks very similar.

Posted by: Couch_Surfer

I swapped to a flared drop (Spank - 25 degree flare) and I like it a lot, especially on any type of descent.  That PNW looks very similar.

Oooooo Vibrocore, I love that stuff. When the PNW gets beat up and needs replacing, doesn't workout, might have to pick one up.

Posted by: gdharries

Great backstory and bike. The green of that versatile Surly is also magnificent.

thanks, building it in the middle of a pandemic was kinda fun, like a three week long Easter egg hunt. I ordered spokes to build the wheels from Germany of all places. Highlights were finding a "factory second" brand new in the box (still can't find the flaw) Chromag seatpost on eBay for $7. Lowlights was paying astronomical shipping and duty on some parts from Universal cycles in the states. I figure one day I'll probably buy a 100mm suspension fork for this bike to ride more XC and light trail when life gives me a little more time for such things. All in all I'm really impressed with the versatility of the frame so far

Edited to add: whoa, as someone who has only made a post or two on the "new" forum in the last 4 years or so, there's some funky stuff going on.  How the heck do you quote a post properly?

Posted by: t_w

Posted by: gdharries

Great backstory and bike. The green of that versatile Surly is also magnificent.

thanks, building it in the middle of a pandemic was kinda fun, like a three week long Easter egg hunt. I ordered spokes to build the wheels from Germany of all places. Highlights were finding a "factory second" brand new in the box (still can't find the flaw) Chromag seatpost on eBay for $7. Lowlights was paying astronomical shipping and duty on some parts from Universal cycles in the states. I figure one day I'll probably buy a 100mm suspension fork for this bike to ride more XC and light trail when life gives me a little more time for such things. All in all I'm really impressed with the versatility of the frame so far

Edited to add: whoa, as someone who has only made a post or two on the "new" forum in the last 4 years or so, there's some funky stuff going on. How the heck do you quote a post properly?

Just hit the 'Quote' button on the bottom right, and then begin typing where the cursor shows up below the quoted text.

Anyone here ever ridden to the Seymour dam? Nice ride? Worth it? That would be one of the longer gravel rides my wife has been on and I don't want to drag her up some punishing unrewarding path.

Go up the pave and come down the gravel.

Posted by: tungsten

Go up the pave and come down the gravel.

You would think I would have thought of that.....sage advice. Thanks

Great ride out to the Seymour dam today with my wife. She loved the whole route. Went along the paved path up and came back on fisherman's. The two Muskoka chairs at the top of fisherman's were the greatest surprise. 

Here are our two bikes. A surley karate monkey with a hope single speed hub and a custom 7 speed cassette. Hers is a 2021 kona rove deluxe.